Blood when teething

A small blood spot can occur when a baby tooth breaks through the gum, but ongoing bleeding or swelling needs examination.

A primary tooth moves through the gum tissue as its crown emerges into the mouth. The gum over the erupting crown can look raised or bruised, and minor rubbing may produce a trace of blood.

Wash your hands, wipe away visible blood with clean gauze, and offer a cool teething ring that is not frozen solid. Avoid cutting the gum, applying numbing gels without guidance, or giving medicines in a dose not intended for the child.

Contact a dentist if bleeding recurs, the gum is very swollen, pus is present, the child has significant pain, or the tooth does not erupt normally. Seek urgent medical care for heavy bleeding, facial swelling, breathing difficulty, or marked lethargy.

Ask whether the appearance fits normal eruption, a cyst, trauma, infection, or another gum lesion. Ask how to clean the area, which comfort measures suit the child, and which symptoms require immediate review.